Razor blade magazine and blade pack therefor



L. KUHNL Feb. 2, 1943..

RAZOR BLADE MAGAZNE AND BLADE PACK THEREFOR Filed Aug. A7,' 1941 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNTE STATE mais@ PTEN'E QFFICE RAZOR BLADE MAGAZINE AND BLADE PACK THEREFOR Application August 7, 1941, Serial No. 405,727

(Cl. 20G-16) 9 Claims.

The invention relates to razors of the magazine type-i. e., razors provided with a magazine containing blades, which may be fed one by one as needed into a shaving head.

The principal object is a razor of this type that will be of simple construction and capable of being operated with a simple and cheap pack of blades.

Another object is a razor of the said type so constructed that the introduction of a blade pack into the magazine is a simple operation even to the uninitiated user.

Describing the drawing, A

Fig. 1 is a View in elevation and in longitudnal section showing the razor with a stack of blades located therein;

Fig. 2 is an isometric View of a preferred form of blade;

Fig. 2a is a longitudinal View in section of the blade of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a pack of blades of the construction shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View in elevation and in longitudinal section and inverted from the position shown in Fig. l and showing a blade pack in position for inserting the stack in the razor;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the stack located in the razor;

Fig. 6 is a View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is a View on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 1

Fig.v 8 is a View in cross section of a blade pack employing a modified form of clip, and

Fig. 9 is a horizontal View showing the details of the retaining .member for limiting the receding motion of the plunger.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, a form of-blade suitable for use in the razor and for assembly into a blade pack that may be used in the razor is illustrated in Fig. 2, being indi-r cated as a whole by the numeral Ill, the cutting edge being indicated by the numeral II.l The blade is provided on one face with two indentations I2 and I3 and on the opposite face with two nubs I4 and I5. The indentations may beproduced by punching, whichat the same timev and engage mating indentations in a contiguous.

blade, and thus the stack takes the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon with the edges of the blades all on one side. For convenience in the punching operation and to adapt` the identa-` tions and nubsv for (3o-engagement, the contour of each indentation approximately conform to that of the surface of a cone, thus in each case producing shoulders I6, I5. The nubs are of a contour similar to that of the indentations, and thus there are produced shoulders II, I'I. In stacking, the shoulders Il, Il of the nubs abut the 'shoulders I6, I6 of the indentations, the nubs nesting in the indentations. Both indentations and nubs slope away from the surfaces of the blade in the same direction with respect to the blade. The slope of the indentations and the slope of thenubs are such that each blade can be dislodged from `the blade beneath it by the application of a force acting longitudinally of the blade in a direction to separate the abutting shoulders. The blade cannot, however, be dislodged by the application of a longitudinally acting force in the opposite direction due to the positive resistance oiered by the contacting shoulders -of the indentations and nubs. 1

The stack, indicated by the numeral I8, is maintained in assembly by means of a clip, comprising two legs I9 and 20 formed by folding a strip of sheet metal. The metal is resilient to render the clip readily releasable but at the same time is stiff'enough to clamp the stack firmly. The leg 26 may extend the entire length of the stack, but the leg I9 is shorter to expose the nub I5 of the upper exterior blade (with reference to Fig. 3) and is provided with an aperture 2| which engages the nub I4 of the same blade. This engagement assists in releasably locking the clip to the stack, but by virtue of the slope of the nub and the corresponding slope of the indentation with which it is engaged, does not interfere withv the withdrawal of the clip from the stack. 'The marginal portions of both legs extend beyond the plane of the blade edges in order toprotect the latter from injury in handling and loading the magazine. As an additional means for positioning thev stack in the clip, an ear 22 is struck downwardly fromthe leg I9, which resists lateral motion of the stack within the clip, and a second ear 23 is also struck down from the leg I 9, which prevents endwise motion of the stack in the direction of the fold lila of the legs of the clip. Also an ear 24 is struck upwardly from the leg 20 which cooperates with the ear 22 struck down from the leg I9. Leg 20 of the clip is also provided with an aperture 25.

The purposes and functions of the various feations in the blades will be understood after the razor in which the stack is to be inserted has been described. It may, however, now be pointed out that, if the shoulder of the nub I5 of the upper exterior blade engages a positive stop, the clip may be stripped from the stack in a lengthwise direction without disturbing the stack assembly, since each blade beginning with the topmost blade (with reference to Fig. 3) positively engages the blade succeeding it by virtue of the interengagement of the shoulders on the nubs and indentations.

In describing the razor itself, it is to be `understood that the invention relates only to those features involving the insertion of a stack of blades into the magazine and the ejection one by one therefrom. To illustrate an application of the invention however, I show arazor 'construction in which the blade stack is located in the handle and the blades are, upon ejection therefrom injected into shaving position in a shaving .head mounted on a post projecting from the handle. This latter feature however is .illustrative merely of .a suitable type of razor with which the invention maybe used, and fso faras the scopo Yof the invention is concerned it will v be apparent that it is immaterial how the blades are disposed of after ejection from the magazine.

Proceeding therefore to a description .of the razor, `the magazine which also serves as a handle for the shaving head comprises an velongated box-like structure -26 closed at one end by the block 2l except for the blade ejection orifice 28, and open at the opposite end to permit the insertionof a blade stack and the operation of `:the blade-electing mechanism. rl'he blade ejection plunger `29, which for purposes of stiffness may be channel-shaped as shown, is provided with a 'closure block 3D secured to it, for example, by a rivet 3| and is, for convenience inmanipulation, provided with a thumb-piece 32 also 'secured by the rivet 3|. The plunger assembly also includes a hook `33. the shank 34 of `which is interposed between the block and the plunger Yand is-also'secured `by the rivet 3|.. The purpose 'of the hook will presently appear. A stop Ato ,prevent withdrawal .ofthe plunger from the .magazine `-casing .is provided vby the tongue 35 springpressed `by its vown resiliency against the inside of -the Ywall of the casing .25 where there is 1ocated an `indent .into which the tongue projects. There is thus establisheda limit `to which :the plunger can vbe retracted.

',To 'serve -as a `guide for :the -plunger in 'order thatit fmay `travel in a vxed path.` thereis 1pmvided'in thecasinga lining 3.6 'of `channel-shaped cross-'section on 4the edges 31 of `which the edges 3810i the plunger :slide To prevent withdrawal of the lining by frictional drag of the plunger for otherwise, there fis provided in one wallithereof aspring-:pressed .lip .39. the .tip of which springs against atshoulder in the lcasing wall.

.The spring A0. Athe function of which is to bear .against the blade stack in order to feed blades successively to a position in alignment with the plungertipA and the ejection critica-may beriveted tothe lining 35, as indicated at 36a.

'The spring normally takes the position shown in "Fig 4 with enough reserve pressure to effectually-raise the stack up to the last blade to feeding position. As will be seen (Fig. 6) the tip of the spring will, when a blade stack is completely inserted as shown in Fig. 5, engage the nub I-5 of the topmost blade (see Fig. 3),

and therefore, while blades may be successively released from the nub and indentation engagement in the direction of the blade ejection orifice, neither the stack as a whole nor any blade or blades can be withdrawn in the opposite direction.

Since it is desirable, and in practice necessary, that the height of the blade-ejection orice be not substantially greater than the thickness of a blade, there is provided in the blade-ejection .orifice a groove 4| to allow passage of the nubs as .the blade .passes through the orice. In

.order to close the groove against the access therethrough of Water when the tip of the plungaerlis located inthe groove, as is the case while 'the `razor "is being used, the plunger is provided 'with a 'projection 42 which is located in the groove when `the plunger has completed a blade- 'ejecting stroke.

The advantages of the invention and the mode of A.utilizing it Will noWibe-explained.

The blades like those shown in Fig. 2 are stacked Ywith their successive nubspandxindentations in registry as has been described, which brings their edges all on `the `same side of the stack and Aflush with each other. The `clip yis then appplied with the aperture 2l registering with the nub l1 which completes the pack. .Ordinarily the pack would be .assembled v.by `the blade manufacturer. Whenit is .desired toload the magazine, the plunger -is .irst wholly retracted-i. e., to the ,position .shownjn .'Fig. A. The pack is then laid `on the plunger :(as '.in Fig. 4) `with the hook 33 entering lthefaperture 25 of the clip, thisfengagement however .not `as yet performing any function. The plunger is then advanced as faras .it will fgogtheclosure block 3] abutting the fold of the clip and forcing the .pack to lride under the spring `lll and ex it, whereupon the tip 45 of thesspring snaps into 'position :against athe :shoulder |1 of the nub I5. 'I'he tongues 46fserve to .locate'theiblade stack laterally and prevent contact of `the .blade edges -with the wall of fthe lining or the fcasing. Thereupon .the plungerds fully withdrawn-'i.'e., to the-position fshown .-infFig. .5, :duringwhich the hook 33 is `in `engagement With the aperture '25, and consequently the :clipjs stripped from the bladestack leaving the blade `stackin its proper feeding ,position `in :the .magazina The clip is then removed from the plunger and discarded, whereupon ea cbladeanay be -fed Ainto the 'shaving head of the .razor :and the `'operation repeated until the magazine is exhausted `of blades. If the magazine is provided `with afshaving head 47 suchas is shownin-'Fig l'pivotally mountedpn the lpost y48, 4the blade `will `4be Vdriven into lthe blade-receiving slot 49 feiecting from the .slot any blade alreadythere, `if any.

In'Fig."thereisshown'a blade pack the clip of which is modified with the object o'l' more securely retaining the blade stack therein than in the 'case of the clip of Fig. 3. This modified clip "is *in all 'respects similar to the clip of Fig. 3 except `that `in 'this form the overhangingflateral margins of the legs of the clip are deflected toward -each other as shown at 50 and 5l, .and ears 52 Hand 53 lturned down from theoppositc margin of the 'legs are provided ,to actas stops against which the heels of the exterior blades and perhaps .a 4few succeeding blades may abut. In the `sharpening operationmost razor blades are first groundso that the facetsresulting `from grindinginclude a ,predetermined angle. In honing this angle is increased near the extreme edge. Where this is the case' the deection is such that the deflected portions may and preferably are in contact throughout with the ground areas of the facets. In this relationship however they are clear of the honed edges by reason of the increased angles and the pack may be handled and shipped and the clip withdrawn from the stack without impairing the sharpness of the blades. The procedure in introducing a pack with a clip of this type andin withdrawing the clip leaving the sta-ck in blade-feeding position is similar to the corresponding procedure followed in the case of the pack of Fig. 3.

While I have described a particular construction in which my invention is incorporated, I do not desire to be limited to this particular embodiment since many changes and modifications may easily be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims:

l. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing provided with a blade ejection orifice, a plunger slidably mounted for reciprocation in the casing, and a spring located within the casing and adapted to press a stack of blades against a wall of the casing with the topmost blade aligned with the orifice and with the plunger, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades an-d a clip releasably retaining the stack in assembled relation, the clip and the plunger being provided with complementary means for engagement with each other during the retraction of the plunger, the bottom blade being provided with a nub for engagement with the spring when the blade pack actuated by the plunger is driven to its innermost position within the casing.

2. The combination of a blad-e magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing, a plunger reciprocablyV mounted in the casing, and a spring within the casing adapted to bear against a stack of blades therein, the blade pack comprising a stack of razor blades each of which is provided with a plurality of nubs on one face of a plurality of indentations on the other, the nubs of each blade being nested in the indentations in a contiguous blade, the nubs and indentations sloping away from the surface of the blade and toward one end thereof at an angle small enough so that a blade may by an endwise sliding motion be dislodged from the blade contiguous to it, and a clip retaining the stack in assembled relation, the clip and plunger being provided with cooperating means for positive engagement with each other during the retraction of the plunger, the spring being positioned to engage a nub on one of the exterior blades of the stack.

3. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing and a plunger reciprocably mounted in the casing, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades each of which is provided with a plurality of nubs on one face thereof and a plurality of indentations on the other, the nubs of each blade being nested in/the indentationsI of a contiguous blade, .the nubs and indentations sloping away from the surface of the blade and toward one end thereof at an angle small enough so that a blade may by an endwise sliding motion be dislodged from the blade -contiguous to it, said pack also including a clip retaining the stackin assembled relation, the clip being provided 'with an aperture and the plunger beiney provided' with a hook adapted to engage in the aperture of the clip during retraction of the plunger, and spring means adapted to engage a nub of one of the exterior blades of the stack for preventing Withdrawal of the stack during retraction of the plunger.

4. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a lcasing and a yblade ejection plunger, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades retained in assembly by a releasable clip, the clip an-d the plunger being provided with cooperating means for positive engagement with each other during retraction of the plunger, and

a part projection from an inner wall of sai-deasing, the stack being provided with means for positive engagement with the said part when the pack is located in the casing in blade feeding position whereby the clip is stripped from the stack of blades as an incident to the retraction of the plunger.

5. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing and a blade ejecting plunger reciprocably mounted in the casing, and a part projecting from an inner wall of the casing, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades and a releasable clip retaining the blades in assembly, the clip being provided with an aperture and the plunger being provided with a hook adapted to engage the said aperture during retraction of the plunger, one of the exterior blades of the stack being provided with means for positive engagement with the said projecting part when the pack is located in blade feeding position in the casing whereby the clip is stripped from the stack as an incident to the retraction of the plunger.

6. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing and a blade ejecting plunger reciprocably mounted in the casing, and also with a blade lifting Ispring within the casing, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades and a releasable clip retaining the bla-des in assembly, the clip being provided with an aperture and the plunger being provi-ded with a hook adapted to engage the said aperture during retraction of the plunger, one of the exterior blades of the stack being provided with means for positive engagement with the said spring when the pack is located in Iblade feeding position in the casing whereby the clip is stripped from the stack as an incident to the retraction of the plunger.

7. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing and a blade ejecting plunger mounted in the casing, and also with a blade lifting spring within the casing, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades and a releasable clip retaining the stack in assembly, the clip being provided `with an aperture and the plunger being provided with a hook adapted to engage the sai-d aperture during retraction of the plunger, one of the exterior blades of the lstack being provided with a nub for positive engagement with the said spring when the pack is located in blade feeding position in the casing whereby the clip is stripped from the stack as an incident to the retraction of the plunger.

8. The combination of a blade magazine for a razor and a blade pack therefor, the magazine comprising a casing, a blade ejecting plunger reciprocably mounted in the casing and a blade lifting spring Within the casing, the blade pack comprising a stack of blades and a releasable clip retaining the stack in assembly, one of the exterior blades of the stack being provided with a nub for positive engagement with the said spring when the pack is located in blade feeding position in the casing whereby the clip may be stripped from the stack by withdrawing the plunger, thus leaving the stack in blade feeding LEOPOLD KUHNL.

10 position in the casing. 

